Category: Music

The ‘full Monty’ is coming to Kyalami for the 9-Hour race in November in the tradition of the great endurance races of Europe – a full-on pop concert on both the Friday and Saturday – and the only thing missing at this point is the giant Ferris Wheel.

Eighteen of South Africa’s biggest DJs, bands and artists will perform during the Intercontinental GT Challenge Powered by Pirelli season finale.

Leading the pack is internationally renowned guru of the decks, Black Coffee, who takes to the stage on Saturday. This powerhouse DJ continues to churn out record-breaking tunes, which include the mega-hit ‘Drive’ in collaboration with David Guetta and featuring Delilah Montagu.

The Kyalami 9 Hour is also thrilled to launch the ‘Africa Is Not A Jungle’ stage, Black Coffee’s vision aimed at amplifying international appreciation of African music. Joining him on the Kyalami stage and then on his drive to greater international recognition are the best in dance adrenaline fuelled artists Transmicsoul, Culoe De Song, Lemon & Herb, Julian Gomes and Kid Fonque echoing the sentiment ‘Africa Is Not A Jungle’ – it is the ancient birthplace of the human race and a continent characterised by its colourful mix of cultures, nature, art and musical fusion.

On Friday the grooves will blast off at 14:00 with a dazzling line-up of artists. Internationally acclaimed rock royalty Prime Circle will get hearts racing with their chart-topping hits such as ‘She Always Gets What She Wants’ and ‘Consider Me’.

Sun El Musician, the artist who has captured the heart of the nation and rose to fame with his smash hit ‘Akanamali’ promises to be a showstopper whilst the soulful three-piece House group Mi Casa will pump the gas with their ‘Jika’ vibes.

Pushing the pace with Black Coffee on the Saturday and kicking off at 16:00, one of South Africa’s most loved female acts will take to the stage: sensational smash-hit singer Shekhinah. Young, entrancing and overflowing with fresh vibes, the ‘Golden Rose’ Shekhinah is no stranger to the stage, possessing all the sass and blissful vocals to wrap the crowd around her finger. Her track record guarantees a powerful performance.

Tom Pearson-Adams, CEO of the Kyalami 9 Hour: “With the addition of a star studded line-up to this groundbreaking event, we truly feel that we have catered for fans from all walks of life. This will be entertainment at its best. Speed and sound, family and fun.

It is an event for everyone and we feel privileged and honoured to not only host the top racing drivers in the world, but to also provide a platform for some of South Africa’s top performing artists that truly know how to entertain.”

The dots and crosses are all in the right places and the South Coast Bike Fest is a go for 2019 where Margate will again play host to hundreds of motorcyclists and friends with good food, great music and an awesome vibe in store.

The South Coast Bike Fest – presented by Ugu South Coast Tourism with endorsement and support from Ray Nkonyeni Municipality, Ugu District, the Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs and Tourism KwaZulu-Natal – will run from April 26 to 28 and tickets are now available!

UGU South Coast Tourism CEO, Phelisa Mangcu, said even those with little knowledge of motorcycles would find the South Coast Bike Fest an entertaining experience that was well worth a visit.

“For biking enthusiasts, attending the annual South Coast Bike Fest is undeniably a calendar highlight, but there is so much to this fun-filled event that makes it such a great experience. The diverse musical programme brings together some of the country’s best talent, appealing to all tastes and interests.

“The South Coast Bike Fest provides a platform and opportunity to showcase the emerging businesses in the region. For those with a taste for good food and drink, there are a number of beautifully-positioned bars and restaurants, as well as a pop-up food village. The endless trade vendor stands in the festival market are great for browsing and finding really unique biking apparal purchases, and the non-stop stunt shows, demo rides and performances are always a crowd pleaser. There is something for everyone here!”

Biking events

When it comes to biking, the South Coast Bike Fest has it all! The Full Throttle Staging Arena will see some of the most extreme biking stunts and demonstrations by South Africa’s most daring riders. While those looking for the best in bikes and biking accessories, there are the Corporate Motorcycle Dealership Expo Decks, Classic Bike Club Show Deck and Bike Repair Workshop & Pre-owned Sales Deck. Showcasing the biking community spirit will be a number of outrides and outreach projects including The Mass Ride and The Soweto School of Riding.

Music festival

The South Coast Bike Fest has become synonymous with top-notch South African musical acts and 2019 is no different! You will get the chance to enjoy a range of musical options at one of the many festival stages, including the Budweiser Beach Stage, Village Pier Rock Stage, Sunset Beach Party and the Flying Fish Seafood & Wine Jazz Deck.

Pubs and grub

For the country’s biggest and best biking festival, there must be only the best food options on offer. This is why the South Coast Bike Fest boasts nine festival-themed bars and restaurants including the Beach Cocktail Bar, HOG Hospitality Bar, Village Pier Rock Bar, Full Throttle Energy Bar, Pop Up Village Food Court and Mid Beach Grass Festival Bars & Chill Lounge. Great food, drinks and vibes all round!

Shopping

Those looking for a little retail therapy will find what they need in the Village Market Square Trading complete with a range of incredible stalls featuring only quality crafts, clothing, gifts, and much more. The South Coast also has a variety of cultural and heritage sites, as well as outdoor adventure and leisure activities. Those with a #SCBF19 festival pin can get a discount on Best Helicopter Flips from St Mikes.

Accommodation

The festival destination is the perfect day-trip from Joburg – under 700 km – on safe biking roads. Many of the biking community stay over in the Midlands as a way to break the trip, and there are a number of accommodation venues close to the festival precinct. Simply email info@southcoastbikefest.co.za indicating your preferences, the number of friends and family joining, and accommodation will be sourced!

Transport and security

There will be a Park n Ride Shuttle Service to get you between the parking area and festival site. The award-winning Margate SAPS precinct will be working closely with the event security personnel to ensure everyone is kept safe throughout the festival. There will also be a Central Security & Medics, as well as Beach Lifesavers station on-site.

How to register

Bikers and pillions wanting to access any of the bars or stages (Budweiser Beach Stage, Village Pier Rock Stage, Mid Beach Stage, Full Throttle Entertainment Zone, Reggae Bar and Jazz Bar) must pre-register online (www.southcoastbikefest.co.za) and purchase a South Coast Bike Fest 2019 pin for R35. Bikers and pillions will need to purchase a pin each. Bikers must be accompanied by their pillion to collect the pre-purchased pin at the Sasol Garage, Margate – bike licences must be shown.

Good news for World Rallycross fans is there will three Hyundai i10 Supercars in action this year with the Finnish GRX Taneco team headed by double World Rally Champion, Marcus Gronholm.

The team will retain its two permanent drivers – Niclas Grönholm and Timur Timerzyanov – who will be accompanied by development driver Reinis Nitišs for several outings. The trio will chase trophies with a 2019 version of the team’s Hyundai i20 Supercars.

GRX Taneco successfully debuted it’s Hyundai i20 Supercar last season and after 12 rounds claimed fourth in the World RX Teams’ standings, with Niclas Grönholm finishing seventh and Timerzyanov 10th in the Drivers’ championship.

“We knew that our first season with a new car would be tough, but we exceeded our expectations in 2018 and throughout the winter break we have been working hard to improve our i20 Supercars and take the next step in 2019,” said GRX Taneco Team Principal Marcus Grönholm.

“With this project we are thinking long term and I am happy that we have the same great core team with us, and the same driver line-up that can continue their work and fight for the leading positions in the championship.”

The team recently completed its first test session of the year in Southern France where they evaluated the first set of updates for the Hyundai i20 Supercar.

“This will be the first time I will drive the same car for a second consecutive season and I will start it with a good knowledge of the i20 Supercar. The base performance was already there and we have worked on tweaks around the car to shave off crucial tenths of a second. The 2019 season (April 05) is just around the corner and I’m really looking forward to the first round at the new track in Abu Dhabi,” said 22-year old Niclas Grönholm.

Triple European Rallycross champion, Timerzyanov said: “Rallycross is my passion and I believe in it, so naturally I am thrilled to start my sixth season of World RX and to do a second year together with GRX Taneco. This season will offer more opportunities for privateer teams, meaning that we also have a bigger chance to show our supporters good results and great action for the fans. It is just 10 rounds, so there will be no sandbagging and everyone will be trying to claim the podium positions.”

Team Manager, Jussi Pinomäki added: “I think the competition this season will be very, very close and this year will prove to be an exciting one for drivers and spectators. Last year we built a good base to work from – all of our technical staff have remained on-board, both Niclas and Timur know the car well, and I am confident that with this package we’ll be able to fight for top positions.

“For further improvements we have also added a third car for several rounds with Reinis as our development driver, to help us gain data and continue the car’s evolution.”

GRX newcomer Nitišs said: “I’m happy to be back in World RX, even though it’s not a full-season programme. Together with Jussi Pinomäki I have claimed two Euro RX titles and I know the people working in the team – everyone is professional, dedicated and passionate. Part of my season will be spent working together with the engineers and team behind the scenes, or testing car updates. But be assured, when I’m racing you can expect no giveaways.”

Multi-platinum selling artist Sean Paul will perform live at the Dayinsure World RX of Great Britain, the UK leg of the FIA World Rallycross Championship, presented by Monster Energy.

The British event, round four of the World RX championship, is the centrepiece of the SpeedMachine Festival at Silverstone from May 25-26. The multi-faceted SpeedMachine brings together an array of motorsport activity, street food and entertainment.

SpeedMachine returns to Silverstone following its successful debut on the FIA World Rallycross Championship calendar last year.

Paul, the Jamaican-born rapper and producer, whose hits include Mad Love, Temperature and Get Busy will headline the entertainment on the evening of Saturday, May 25 with a number of additional guest appearances to be announced soon.

“To have someone of the calibre of Sean Paul as the headline performer for Saturday night at Silverstone underlines SpeedMachine’s status as a must-visit festival of motor racing and entertainment,” says Paul Bellamy, Senior Vice President of IMG Motorsports, the promoter of the FIA World Rallycross Championship, presented by Monster Energy.

From the Steppenwolf song ‘Born To Be Wild’ – “Get your motor runnin’, Head out on the highway, Looking for adventure..” – those sentiments are the passion behind the South Coast Bike Fest and things are already gearing up for the 2019 version from April 26 to 28.

Once again the prime location of one of the country’s top holiday destinations, Margate, will welcome bikers from all corners of South Africa for a healthy mix of camaraderie, music and fun.

The annual event – presented by Ugu South Coast Tourism with endorsement and support from Ray Nkonyeni Municipality and Ugu District – will take place across Margate Beach promenade.

“South Coast Bike Fest™ 2019 (#SCBF19) is set to be bigger and better than previous years with a full programme line-up that includes great music, incredible stunts, extreme sports, food and drinks,” says Vicky Wentzel, event organiser. “All the action will be taking place along the palm-fringed beachfront boulevard within beautiful coastal town of Margate, and we’ve ensured a really diverse festival programme that caters to all tastes.”

Visitors to the South Coast Bike Fest 2019 can look forward to, among other things:

The festival destination is the perfect day-trip from Joburg – under 700km – on safe biking roads. Many of the biking community stay over in the Midlands as a way to break the trip, and there are a number of accommodation venues close to the festival precinct. Simply email info@southcoastbikefest.co.za indicating your preferences, the number of friends and family joining, and accommodation will be sourced!

Bikers and pillions wanting to access any of the bars or stages (Main Beach Stage, Village Pier Rock Stage, Energy Zone, Reggae Bar and Jazz Bar) must pre-register online (www.southcoastbikefest.co.za) and purchase a South Coast Bike Fest 2019 pin for R35. Bikers and pillions will need to purchase a pin each. Bikers must be accompanied by their pillion to collect the pre-purchased pin at the Sasol Garage, Margate – bike licences must be shown.

The full music line-up will be announced early in 2019. Vendor applications have opened and anyone wishing to be involved in #SCB19 can contact Vicky Wentzel at info@southcoastbikefest.co.za or call 082 812 7944.

There will be a new starting point for the mass ride at this year’s South Coast Bike Fest and bikers will meet at St Michael’s Beach car park on Sunday, April 29 with the line-up starting at 8 am.

More than just a ‘jolly’ ride through the streets, it will also be in support of the non-profit organisation, 1-Million shoes.

This is a national shoe collection campaign, started in September 2016, which aims to donate 1-Million School Shoes to children in disadvantaged communities as a way to empower these schoolgoers and support them on their educational journey. This year the campaign is focusing on collecting 100 000 shoes, which will go towards the larger 1-Million initiative, in celebration of ‘100 years of Madiba’.

The NGO works closely with local charities and authorities to identify beneficiaries within the region of the donations. For the Mayoral Mass Charity Parade, all participating bikers and pillions are urged to bring a new pair of school shoes for donation, which the 1-Million School Shoes organisation will then collect and distribute at a later stage. Cash donations will also be welcome on the day.

Roleta Lebelo of the 1-Million School Shoes NGO says: “We are excited to be working with South Coast Bike Fest on this great campaign. The biking community is always receptive to charitable causes and we look forward to a successful partnership.”

Ray Nkonyeni Municipality’s Mayor Cynthia Mqwebu said they were excited to be supporting such a worthwhile initiative.

“For many children in rural communities, getting to and from school is an arduous process which involves long walks over difficult terrain. This is a big ask of our young people who are seeking an education, and to do this without shoes is just unbearable. We hope that, through this fundraising rally, we can make the lives of our local children easier and instil some well-deserved dignity.”

The starting point was chosen because it is such a great example of the beautiful beaches that make up this enticing coastline, popular with beachgoers and maritime sporting enthusiasts across the country and further afield.

The Mayoral Mass Charity Parade will officially set off at 10am, travelling north along Marine Drive, completing the circuit around Bazley Street, Connor Street, Reynolds Street, Nelson Mandela Drive, Aiken Street and heading back along Marine Drive with the finishing point at Margate.

The Mayoral Mass Charity Parade forms part of a much larger programme that will entice visitors to the South Coast Bike Fest. Attendees will get the chance to visit eight festival-themed bars, corporate dealership decks as well as 22 onsite clubs, pubs and restaurants catering to all interests and tastes. There is also a full line-up of more than 30 South African artists and a jam-packed entertainment programme, including:

• Stunt shows and Powasol Enduro X in the Energy Zone Arena.

• Top musical acts at the Jack Daniels Village Pier Rock Stage and Main Beach Stage.

• Quality fashion shows and Miss South Coast Bike Fest™.

All bikers and pillions are urged to pre-register online for #freefunseeker tickets which gives free access to the entire event precinct including the main stage featuring all the headline artist performances.

All non-biking pedestrians will be charged a nominal fee of R60 per day which provides access to the main event precinct and entertainment areas within it.

For another R150, #fuelyourfun ticket holders can access the Budweiser Main Beach Stage Golden Circle.

Like this:

Main Stage music at this year’s South Coast Bike Fest that kicks off on April 27 in Margate will be sponsored by Budweiser.

“We are incredibly excited to have Budweiser featuring so prominently at this year’s South Coast Bike Fest,” says event organiser, Vicky Wentzel. “This vibrant festival is about bringing people together to celebrate shared passions and this sense of camaraderie speaks directly to the Budweiser brand. We look forward to this successful partnership and another fantastic South Coast Bike Fest which has now been infused with the elegant Budweiser flavour.”

Introduced to the South African market in 2017, Budweiser is already gaining a lot of traction across the nation because of its appealing flavour and quality taste.

Referred to as the ‘King of Beer’, the production of Budweiser ‘The Hard Way’ is the world’s most expensive brewery process, brewing the mixture twice as long as regular lager and aging it over beach wood chips resulting in a super smooth finish. Infusing 142 years of experience in beer brewing, Budweiser is now being produced locally, for the first time on the African continent, at the Rosslyn Brewery.

All bikers and pillions are urged to pre-register online for #freefunseeker tickets which gives free access to the entire event precinct including the main stage featuring all the headline artist performances.

All non-biking pedestrians will be charged a nominal fee of R60 per day which provides access to the event precinct. For another R150, #fuelyourfun ticket holders can access the Budweiser Main Beach Stage Golden Circle.

Like this:

The gentle giant of Afrikaans rock is back with an unusually structured solo album. Piet Botha’s ‘Die Middernagtrein’ (The Midnight Train) is clearly a singular project even though the backing is provided by his regular cohorts from Jack Hammer.

It is also unusual in that all the songs have relatively few words but each one of those words is clearly supremely personal to Botha, and there is a vast range of complex emotions and feelings generated throughout each song and across the spectrum of the album.

It is not necessary to understand the words or know the meaning behind each song to be drawn into the emotion – and before this sounds like the whole package is music to commit suicide by, let us move on to the second part of the unusual.

The tracks themselves are not shortened by the words, and there is an ebb and flow of accoustic instrospection that builds to a head-banging rock crescendo with each track providing its own unique musical surprise.

Produced by Lanie van der Walt, who also adds his talent as a guitarist to that of Jacques Groenewald, Johnathan Martin, Gerry Robinson and the big man himself on his favourite accoustic guitar called Lucy or trademark pale blue Stratocaster.

Tertius du Plessis provides the bass with Paul van de Waal on drums and Leon van Zweel on saxophone.